Henry Gore (1736-1791)
}} "According to the Christ Church Parish Register , Henry Gore was born in Middlesex County, Virginia. Since his grandfather Joseph Gore had a monetary account in England (The Virginia Genealogist, Volume 5, No. 3, page 116, Middlesex County wills 1713-1734, page 350) there is a fair probability that Henry was of English descent. He raised two families totaling 13 children in what is now Shenandoah County, Virginia where he also died on the 1st of April 1791. When he died he was 54 1/2 years of age. All available evidence indicates that Henry Gore was a farmer, not a trader. Henry Gore married Ann Catherine Keller. They later moved to Island Creek in Montgomery County, Virginia, which is now Logan County, West Virginia. The information given Mrs. Kleyla states that they moved to Island Creek, a branch of New River, and that the old homestead was now in Summers County, West Virginia. We are inclined to believe this was a mistake for we find Island Creek is a prominent tributary of the Guyandotte River in Logan County and the latter is a tributary of the Ohio River. When Ann Catherine (Keller) Gore brought her five children to what is now Summers County, West Virginia, all of what was known as Montgomery County lay on the Virginia side of the Blue Ridge Mountains and therefore played no part with respect to a place called Island Creek. Ann Catherine and her children did in fact settle on Island Creek which in 1792 was located in Greenbrier County. In 1799 part of Greenbrier was used to form Monroe County and Island Creek now found itself in Monroe. In 1806 parts of four counties including Monroe were used to form Giles County and Island Creek was now located there. In 1837 parts of Giles and Tazewell were used to form Mercer County and Island Creek was now there. Finally in 1871 parts of Greenbrier, Monroe and Mercer were used to form Summers County and that is the present location of Island Creek. It flows into the New River which flows into the Kanawha River which flows into the Ohio River. There is also an Island Creek in Logan County from which the Island Creek Coal Company gets its name. Based on all available evidence, Henry Gore died on his farm adjacent the present site of New Market, Virginia on 1 April 1791. The first Gores to appear in what is now West Virginia were the five children of Henry Gore and Ann Catherine Keller who were brought to the Island Creek area of present day Summers County by their widowed mother in 1792. This was twelve years after the killing of the Indian chief Cornstalk. Ann Catherine was the daughter of Konrad Keller (born 1737 in Pennsylvania and/or the Granddaughter of Jacob Keller born 14 November 1706 at Basel, Switzerland). Basel is located on the Rhine River near a point where Switzerland, France and Germany come together. The predominant language spoken in this part of Switzerland is German. The American Revolution ended on 19 October `1781 at the battle of Yorktown in which Lord Cornwallis was soundly defeated by combined forces of the American and French military and naval forces. Joseph was born 1780, Robert in 1783, and Henry Jr. in 1789." - unknown author "Henry Gore was a farmer and a road overseer during the American Revolution. Henry was born 10 Sep 1736 in Christchurch, Middlesex, Virginia on the shore of the Rappahannock River in the Northern Neck area of Virginia (50 miles north of historic Jamestown). His parents were John Gore and Mary Maderas (She was a 1/4 Spanish which makes Henry 1/8th hispanic blood). Henry married Mary Margaret (nee unknown) around 1758 in Middlesex County, Virginia. She too was from that area. Together they moved west across the state to George Washington's home county Frederick in the far north west part of the state. There is no evidence to suggest that Henry was an indian trader, it is more likely he became a farmer. Their children: Lydia, b abt 1758, Elizabeth b 1759 were all born in Frederick County. By 1760 the family moved to New Market, Dunmore County (renamed Shenandoah Co in 1778) where they had John Gore 17 March 1761 (Former Vice President and Oscar Winner Al Gore is his 4th Great-Grandson), Ambrose, 1763, Isaac 1765, Sarah 1767, Elinor 1769, Margaret 1769 and Anne 1773. His wife Mary Margaret died in 1773, at age 34, from an unknown cause. In 1774, Henry was renting a home in Dunmore County later renamed Shenandoah County, according to the Virginia Census. While Henry Gore did not serve in the military during the Revolutionary War he did help in the effort. 24 Sep 1778 Henry was appointed Overseer of the Road between the cross road at the Shenandoah line all the way to the top of Massanutten Mountain in Shenandoah County, Virginia. The duty of the road overseer was to keep the roads in his district in as good repair as the funds at his command would permit. Even though it was a civilian service it was patriotic to the cause as American forces would depend on him for a quick and safe passage to the battlefield. A year later 2 May 1779, 43-year-old Henry married 18-year-old Ann Catherine Keller the daughter of a neighboring farmer. Their children include; Joseph b abt 1780, Robert b 1783, James b 1787, Nancy b 1789, and Henry b 1789. In the 1783 Virginia Census, Henry had a household of 9 owning no slaves in Shenandoah, County. As family lore has it, two friends, Henry Gore and Captain Matt Farley, who's daughter Sarah later married James Gore, the son of Henry, were out fishing when they were surprised by Indians. Henry was killed while sitting on a rock, on the bank of New River, W. Va., while whetting his hunting knife. Sitting with him was Capt. Matthew Farley. According to Farley, Henry had just remarked that he expected to take some Indian's scalp with that knife, when there was a crack of a gun and he fell over dead. Capt. Farley jumped into New River, diving, and when he came up the Indians shot at him. He again dived, came up and floated on his back. The Indians thought they had killed him because he was floating on his back like a dead fish. Matt in order to survive, played dead and breathed through a reed until he floated out of range. Farley returned with more men to collect the body of Gore who still laid where he died. The indians escaped. Its believed that Henry's widow was so unnerved by the murder of her husband that a year later she moved the family to Mercer County, WV. It was here that about 12 years earlier Gore relatives had chased down and defeated area indians who had attacked a nearby settlement. Perhaps she felt there was less of a threat from indian raids here. From this point forward, the Gore's would reside in Mercer County for generations" . Sources: Daughters of the American Revolution National #752295, letter dated 4 November 1931 addressed to Joseph E. Goar, letter written by Dr. Charles S. Goar dated 21 March 1925 addressed to his cousin, Mrs. Flossie Goar Cooper about Henry Gore's death, Shenandoah County Virginia Minute Book 1774-1780 compiled by Amelia Gilbreath p.29, 1774 Virginia Census Rent Rolls-Dunmore County, 1790 US Census-1783 Shenandoah County-VA. Stories of Henry Gore's Death "As family lore has it, two Revolutionary War vets and friends, Henry Gore and Captain Matt Farley (whose daughter Sarah later married James Gore, the son of Henry), were out fishing when they were surprised by Indians. Henry was killed quickly, but Matt managed to survive by diving into the river, playing dead and breathing through a reed until he floated out of range." - Unknown Author "The story is told that Matt Farley and Henry Gore, the father of Matt's son-in-law (James Jefferson Gore), who was in the same company, were attacked by Indians while they were sitting on a river bank. Henry Gore was killed, but Matt jumped into the river, floated as though he were dead and escaped." Source: Ruth Klein Ladd, One Ladd's Family, (Greenfield, Indiana: privately printed, 1974) pages 13-14. ---- Will of Henry Goar, Shenandoah Co., VA, April 23, 1785 Will Book C, Page 266 IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I Henry Goar of Shenandoah County and State of Virginia, Planter, being in perfect health of Body, mind & memory: Thanks be to God for it and calling unto mind the mortallity of my body and knoing that it is appointed for all men once to die do and ordain this my last will and Testament that is to say Principally and first of all I give and renounce my soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my Body I re-commend to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian like manner at the discression of my Executors and as Touching such wordly estate as it hath peased God to bless me with in this life, I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form (viz) First. of all I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Catharine Goar her third part of my property (or Estate.) Item. I give and bequeath unto John Goar my Eldest son one hundred acres of that plantation whereon I now live joining the County line. Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Isaac Goar one hundred and fifty acres of land joining John Goars and Jacob Ramboes lines Including one half of the medow now Inclosed. Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph Goar a survey of one hundred and fifty acres of land be it more or less joining Jacob Rambo line and Henry Goars lines on the south side River and likewise. I bequeath unto my said son Joseph one lott of half an acre in New Market No side of Congress street & Morgan Street and likewise give unto my son Joseph Five acres square taken out of my said Plantation the nearest it can to the said lot or half acre. Item. I give and bequeath unto my youngest son one hundred and fifty acres or the remainder of my plantation more or less --- Item. I give unto my Daughters Lydia, Sarrah, Eleanor, Margaret, and Ann, Twenty pounds Virginia currency to each to be paid by my three sons John, Isaac, & Robert as they ____ of age. Likewise I will and ordain that all of my just and lawful Debts shall first be paid out of the movable estate and the balance to be divided amongst my Daughters, Lydia, Elizabeth, Sarah, Eleanor, Margaret, & Ann. And I do hereby constitute nominate and appoint my dearly Beloved wife Catharine Goar and John Oneal of Shenandoah County my soles Exors of this my last will and testament revoking all others Wills or testaments whatsoever in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the 23rd day of April 1785. Henry Goar (Seal) Sealed and DeliveredIn the presents of his John Oneal Jacob X Rambo mark At a Court held for the County of Shenandoah on Thursday the 28th day of April 1791. Notable descendants *Mounce Gore Butler (1849-1917) - Wikipedia] - Henry was his 2nd great grandfather. *Albert Arnold Gore Sr. (1907-1998) - Wikipedia - Henry was his 4th great grandfather. *Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (1948) - Wikipedia - Henry was his 5th great grandfather. *Beatrice Louise Gore (1925-2005) - Wikipedia - He was her 5th great grandfather. *Deborah Gore Dean - Wikipedia - He was her 6th great grandfather. Public Records *1774 Dunmore County, Virginia, Virginia Rent Roll *1775 Dunmore County, Virginia, Virginia Rent Roll *1783 Shenandoah County, Virginia,Virginia Tax List (Dunmore County became Shenandoah in 1778) - 9 Whites References *Christ Church Parish Register - Henry Son of John & Mary Goare, born Sept. loth Baptiz'd Sept. 26 1736. External links Contributors *William Allen Shade 20:28, 19 July 2009 (UTC) - He was my great x 6 grandfather. Category:Upgraded from info page